Last Updated: 3/17/2025
The monthly cost of bartender insurance for weddings can be as low as $37.75 per month for an annual policy from Food Liability Insurance Program (FLIP). A short-term event policy is also available from $150 per event.
While it’s tempting to skip the extra expense, remember that this small investment can save you big bucks in the long run. If you get hit with a claim, your out-of-pocket responsibility could be substantially more than the cost of your insurance.
What Is Bartender Liquor Liability Insurance?
Bartender liquor liability insurance is designed to protect bartending businesses from claims that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This type of insurance covers wedding bartenders who work at events rather than brick-and-mortar bars.
With insurance, wedding bartenders receive coverage for the following types of claims:
- Third-party bodily injury, including alcohol-related injuries to anyone other than yourself or employees
- Third-party property damage, including alcohol-related damages to anyone other than yourself or employees
- Personal and advertising injury, including libel, slander, and defamation
- Product liability, which helps cover claims related to the drinks and/or food you sell, such as food poisoning or unlabeled allergens
Before you start pouring drinks and mixing cocktails, safeguard your business with bartender insurance from Food Liability Insurance Program (FLIP)!
How Much Does Wedding Bartender Insurance Cost?
$37.75 is the monthly cost of bartender insurance from FLIP, or $453 per year. You can also opt for a short-term event policy, which starts at $150 for up to three days of coverage.
Insurance for wedding bartenders contains general liability and liquor liability coverage, giving you the protection you need against alcohol-related third-party claims and others unrelated to serving alcohol.
Pro Tip: Bartenders need general and liquor liability insurance to protect themselves adequately. General liability insurance does not cover alcohol-related claims — only liquor liability insurance can do that. You also need an active general liability policy before you can purchase liquor liability coverage.
Annual vs. Event Coverage for Wedding Bartenders
If you bartend throughout wedding season, you need long-term coverage. Our annual policy safeguards you against the expensive risk of general and liquor liability claims all year long so you never have to worry about being covered for a gig.
You can add optional coverages to your annual policy, such as tools and equipment coverage to protect your business gear. These add-ons are an effective way to personalize your policy and cover your bases.
For professionals who only serve alcohol on occasion, event insurance may be a better fit. This short-term policy includes general and liquor liability insurance but limits coverage to three consecutive days.
Keep in mind, you do not have the option to include add-on coverages for an event policy like you do with an annual policy.
| Wedding Bartender Insurance Policies | Annual | Event |
|---|---|---|
|
Price |
Starts at $37.75/mo. or $453/yr. |
Starts at $150/event |
|
Recommended For |
Businesses needing long-term coverage |
Businesses needing short-term coverage |
|
Coverage Details |
General Liability Limits – $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate |
General Liability Limits – $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate |
|
Coverage Details |
Liquor Liability Limits – Up to $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate |
Liquor Liability Limits – Up to $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 |
|
Coverage Details |
Damage to Premises Rented Limits – $300,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate |
Damage to Premises Rented Limits – $300,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate |
|
Coverage Details |
Free unlimited additional insureds
|
Free unlimited additional insureds
|
|
Additional Recommended Coverages (OPTIONAL) |
Tools and Equipment (Inland Marine) Coverage – $5,000 per occurrence / $10,000 aggregate ($8.25/mo.) – $10,000 per occurrence / $50,000 aggregate ($28.25/mo.) |
X
|
|
Additional Recommended Coverages (OPTIONAL) |
Assault and Battery Coverage – $25,000 per occurrence / $25,000 aggregate ($8.25/mo.) |
X
|
|
Additional Recommended Coverages (OPTIONAL) |
Professional Liability Coverage – $100,000 per occurrence / $200,000 aggregate ($10.42/mo.) |
X
|
|
Additional Recommended Coverages (OPTIONAL) |
Cyber Liability Coverage – $100,000 per occurrence / $100,000 aggregate ($8.25/mo.) |
X
|
Pro Tip: In insurance, your occurrence limit refers to how much your policy will pay out for any one claim. Your aggregate limit is the total amount your policy will pay for all claims in a policy year.
What Factors Affect the Cost of Wedding Bartender Insurance?
The price of bartender insurance can change depending on these factors:
- Where you operate: State dram shop laws determine the level of liability you face as a bartender. Each state is graded on a scale of 0–10, with higher grades meaning higher liquor liability insurance premiums.
- Your business’ gross annual revenue: Bartenders who make more money often have greater risk exposures due to increased alcohol sales and higher customer volumes.
- Whether you bundle liquor liability with general liability: If you already have a general liability policy in place, you can purchase a standalone liquor liability policy instead of bundling the two.
- Whether you add optional coverages: FLIP’s optional add-on coverages are a great way to customize your policy to suit your needs for an additional cost.
- The number of attendees at your event (for event bartender insurance only): The more people attending your event, the higher your premium will be because more guests mean more risk exposures.
Why Do Wedding Bartenders Need Insurance?
Like other food and beverage professionals, wedding bartenders need general liability insurance to cover claims like third-party bodily injury and property damage. However, serving alcohol comes with an entirely new set of risks that can lead to expensive alcohol-related claims, such as:
- Overserving a customer who drives home intoxicated and causes a car accident
- Accidentally serving alcohol to a minor
- An inebriated wedding guest backing their car into the fence at the venue and destroying a section of it
State dram shop laws hold businesses and bartenders financially responsible for the damages caused by their intoxicated patrons. Even in states without dram shop laws, you can still be sued over your customers’ actions.
Moreover, alcohol-related claims are not covered by general liability insurance, making liquor liability coverage as essential to your bartending business as a shaker. These claims can cost you thousands or even millions of dollars, making your insurance premium seem small in comparison.
How to Apply for Wedding Bartender Insurance
Getting wedding bartender insurance is easy with FLIP. Apply completely online and get your free quote in minutes!
- Start an application
- Choose your desired policy start date
- Fill out the required fields with information about your business and select your policy limits
- Get your free quote and finish checking out
FAQs About Wedding Bartender Insurance
Does FLIP Sell a Standalone Liquor Liability Policy?
Yes — you can get an annual liquor liability policy from FLIP for as low as $25 per month or an event liquor policy starting at $100 per event. To get this policy, you must have an active general liability policy with limits equal to or higher than the liquor liability limits you select.
FLIP makes this easy to do by bundling general liability with liquor liability in our bartender insurance policy so you get both essential coverages for as low as $37.75 per month.
Do I Need a Liquor License to Bartend at Weddings?
Most states only require a liquor license when a business sells alcoholic beverages, and these can be difficult to obtain for businesses without a brick-and-mortar location.
For example, if you only charge for your bartending services versus supplying the alcohol, your state may not consider this to count as selling alcohol.
Check with your local alcohol beverage commission to confirm whether you need a liquor license or how you can operate without one.
Can I Get One-Day Bartender Insurance?
FLIP’s event bartending insurance always includes up to three consecutive days of coverage. Even if your event only lasts for a day, the extra two days give you more time for setup and teardown if you need it.
Alex Hastings
Seattle-based copywriter and (WA) licensed insurance agent Alex Hastings leverages her experience as a lover of fast-casual food, baked goods, and iced oat milk lattes. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Western Washington University. Before working at Veracity, she was a retail copywriter at Zulily and an English language teacher in South Korea. Alex is fully trained on FLIP insurance coverages and writes content that connects food and beverage business owners with the policies they need.
Seattle-based copywriter and (WA) licensed insurance agent Alex Hastings leverages her experience as a lover of fast-casual food, baked goods, and iced oat milk lattes. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Western Washington University. Before working at Veracity, she was a retail copywriter at Zulily and an English language teacher in South Korea. Alex is fully trained on FLIP insurance coverages and writes content that connects food and beverage business owners with the policies they need.
